The famous five

Author: MIKE GANDON
Date: 06/07/2001
Words: 827

Publication: Illawarra Mercury
Section: Sport
Page: 74

1 1965 grand final, St George v South Sydney, September 18 at the SCG.

A then Australian record crowd of 78,056 packed the Sydney Cricket Ground to
see one of the most memorable games of all time when St George, chasing their
10th straight premiership and led by Norm Provan in his last match, took on the
rising stars of South Sydney.

It was the penultimate grand final played under the unlimited tackle rule,
the Dragons winning 12-8.

Rabbitohs full-back Kevin Longbottom opened the scoring with a long range
penalty goal midway through the first half but Saints replied immediately when
Norm Provan, George Evans and Reg Gasnier combined for Billy Smith to score.

A goal each to Graeme Langlands and Longbottom made it 5-4 at half-time.

Langlands added two goals and Longbottom one before Johnny King scored in the
corner for Saints and Souths sharpshooter Eric Simms landed a penalty goal for
a 12-8 final score.

2 1969 grand final, Balmain v South Sydney, September 20 at the SCG.

South Sydney entered the 1969 grand final at unbackable odds to beat Balmain
but the Tigers prevailed 11-2 in one of the biggest upsets of all time.

The Rabbitohs' ranks were packed with internationals but the Tigers had
squared the premiership matches and lost by just one point in the major
semifinal in which their great front rower Arthur Beetson was sent off and
suspended for the remainder of the finals series.

Two penalty goals to Len Killeen and a field goal by David Bolton had the
Tigers 6-0 ahead at half-time.

Balmain then scored the only try of the match when replacement winger Syd
Williams scored early in the second term for a 9-0 lead.

A penalty goal to Eric Simms and a second field goal by Bolton made it 11-2
at full-time of a grand final in which the Tigers slowed down play at every
opportunity and caused a monumental boilover.

3 1970 grand final, South Sydney v Manly-Warringah, September 20 at the
SCG.

The 1970 grand final has gone into the annals of rugby league folklore as
Satts' match after South Sydney captain and prop John Sattler produced one of
the most courageous efforts in any code of football to lead his team to victory.

Early in the match, Manly forward John Bucknell bashed Sattler from behind,
shattering Satts' jaw but the Souths skipper refused to capitulate.

Ironically, Bucknell was replaced near half-time with an injured shoulder.

Bob Grant scored two tries and Ray Branighan one for Souths, and Eric Simms
kicked three goals and four field goals while for Manly, Bob Batty landed four
goals and Bob Fulton two field goals.

The final score was 23-12.

4 1973 grand final Manly-Warringah v Cronulla-Sutherland, September 15 at
the SCG.

If the 1970 grand final went down in rugby league folklore as Satts' match,
the 1973 decider was Bozo's triumph as Bob Fulton scored the Sea Eagles' only
two tries in their 10-7 win over the Sharks.

This match is also remembered as one of the dirtiest as unrestrained violence
broke out all over the field and mayhem far outweighed skills.

That's where the brilliant, elusive Fulton came into his own to be the
difference in the two sides, scoring a try converted by Graham Eadie in the 29th
minute for a 5-0 half-time lead.

Fulton scored again in the 58th minute before Cronulla replied with a try by
replacement full-back Rick Bourke and Steve Rogers kicked his second goal.

Eadie sealed the Sea Eagles' win and their second straight premiership with a
late penalty goal.

5 1989 grand final, Balmain v Canberra, September 24 at the SFS

Balmain were striving to win their first premiership since 1969 and go one
better than the 1988 grand final when they lost to Canterbury-Bankstown.

While Canberra were new kids on the block, they had experienced the bitter
taste of grand final defeat to Manly-Warringah in 1987 so both teams in 1989
desperately wanted to win.

The 1989 premiership decider went on to become one of the all-time greatest,
Balmain leading 12-2 at half-time through a try each to James Grant and Paul
Sironen and two goals to Great Britain star Andy Currier.

The Raiders hit back with a try to Gary Belcher converted by Mal Meninga,
and, with 90 seconds remaining John Ferguson scored. Meninga cooly converted to
send the match into extra time.

Canberra wrapped up their first premiership with a field goal to Chris
O'Sullivan and a crashing 20m try to Steve Jackson.

The best photography from The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. more photos

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